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Feng R, Du M, Chen Z. Application of bacteria-mediated gene therapy in tumor treatment. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2025:1-14. [PMID: 40325972 DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2025.2502638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2025] [Revised: 03/25/2025] [Accepted: 05/02/2025] [Indexed: 05/07/2025]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gene therapy refers to the use of vectors to introduce target genes into target cells to exert a therapeutic effect on tumors. As a new type of tumor therapy, gene therapy has the advantage of precision and specificity. Excellent delivery vehicles have a major impact on the efficiency, precision and safety of gene therapy. Unlike traditional vectors, bacteria based on prokaryotes have the advantages of good targeting, large load, and simplicity. In addition, different types of bacteria also have characteristics that can be used in various scenarios. AREAS COVERED In this review, we searched the gene therapy-related literature in PubMed, mainly in the last five years, and compared the characteristics of different gene vectors, focusing on the bacterial gene therapy and aiming to explore excellent bacterial gene therapy programs. EXPERT OPINION Compared with traditional tumor gene therapy vectors, bacteria have many advantages, such as good targeting, large carrying capacity, and simple production. Meanwhile, the combination of artificial intelligence technology, bacterial imaging probe technology and suicide genes will be expected to control the bacterial therapy process, improve the safety of treatment, and promote the translational application of bacterial gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjie Feng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Precision Theranostics and Radiation Protection, College of Hunan Province, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China
- Institute of Medical Imaging, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
- Institute for Future Sciences, University of South China, Changsha, Hunan, China
- The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Hunan Veterans Administration Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Meng Du
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Precision Theranostics and Radiation Protection, College of Hunan Province, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China
- Institute of Medical Imaging, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
- Institute for Future Sciences, University of South China, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhiyi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Precision Theranostics and Radiation Protection, College of Hunan Province, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China
- Institute of Medical Imaging, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
- Institute for Future Sciences, University of South China, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China
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Peng Y, Bai J, Li W, Su Z, Cheng X. Advancements in p53-Based Anti-Tumor Gene Therapy Research. Molecules 2024; 29:5315. [PMID: 39598704 PMCID: PMC11596491 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29225315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2024] [Revised: 11/05/2024] [Accepted: 11/07/2024] [Indexed: 11/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The p53 gene is one of the genes most closely associated with human tumors and has become a popular target for tumor drug design. Currently, p53-based gene therapy techniques have been developed, but these therapies face challenges such as immaturity, high safety hazards, limited efficacy, and low patient acceptance. However, researchers are no less enthusiastic about the treatment because of its theoretical potential to treat cancer. In this paper, the advances in p53-based gene therapy and related nucleic acid delivery technologies were reviewed and prospected in order to support further development in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanwan Peng
- Institute of Modern Fermentation Engineering and Future Foods, School of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, No. 100, Daxuedong Road, Nanning 530004, China; (Y.P.); (J.B.); (W.L.)
| | - Jinping Bai
- Institute of Modern Fermentation Engineering and Future Foods, School of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, No. 100, Daxuedong Road, Nanning 530004, China; (Y.P.); (J.B.); (W.L.)
| | - Wang Li
- Institute of Modern Fermentation Engineering and Future Foods, School of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, No. 100, Daxuedong Road, Nanning 530004, China; (Y.P.); (J.B.); (W.L.)
| | - Zhengding Su
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Institute of Materia Medica, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China
| | - Xiyao Cheng
- Institute of Modern Fermentation Engineering and Future Foods, School of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, No. 100, Daxuedong Road, Nanning 530004, China; (Y.P.); (J.B.); (W.L.)
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Pérez Jorge G, Gontijo M, Silva MFE, Goes ICRDS, Jaimes-Florez YP, Coser LDO, Rocha FJS, Giorgio S, Brocchi M. Attenuated mutants of Salmonella enterica Typhimurium mediate melanoma regression via an immune response. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2024; 249:10081. [PMID: 38974834 PMCID: PMC11224151 DOI: 10.3389/ebm.2024.10081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The lack of effective treatment options for an increasing number of cancer cases highlights the need for new anticancer therapeutic strategies. Immunotherapy mediated by Salmonella enterica Typhimurium is a promising anticancer treatment. Candidate strains for anticancer therapy must be attenuated while retaining their antitumor activity. Here, we investigated the attenuation and antitumor efficacy of two S. enterica Typhimurium mutants, ΔtolRA and ΔihfABpmi, in a murine melanoma model. Results showed high attenuation of ΔtolRA in the Galleria mellonella model, and invasion and survival in tumor cells. However, it showed weak antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo. Contrastingly, lower attenuation of the attenuated ΔihfABpmi strain resulted in regression of tumor mass in all mice, approximately 6 days after the first treatment. The therapeutic response induced by ΔihfABpmi was accompanied with macrophage accumulation of antitumor phenotype (M1) and significant increase in the mRNAs of proinflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6, and iNOS) and an apoptosis inducer (Bax). Our findings indicate that the attenuated ΔihfABpmi exerts its antitumor activity by inducing macrophage infiltration or reprogramming the immunosuppressed tumor microenvironment to an activated state, suggesting that attenuated S. enterica Typhimurium strains based on nucleoid-associated protein genes deletion could be immunotherapeutic against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genesy Pérez Jorge
- Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Immunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Research Group: Statistics and Mathematical Modeling Applied to Educational Quality, University of Sucre, Sincelejo, Sucre, Colombia
| | - Marco Gontijo
- Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Immunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke Medicine Cir, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Marina Flóro e Silva
- Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Immunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Yessica Paola Jaimes-Florez
- Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Immunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- GIMBIO Group, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Universidad de Pamplona, Pamplona, Colombia
| | - Lilian de Oliveira Coser
- Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional, Laboratório de Regeneração Nervosa, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Francisca Janaína Soares Rocha
- Área Acadêmica de Medicina Tropical, Centro de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Selma Giorgio
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Brocchi
- Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Immunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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Bian X, Liu Q, Chen Y, Zhang W, Li M, Zhang X, Yang L, Liao Y, Kong Q. Immunogenicity and cross-protective efficacy induced by delayed attenuated Salmonella with regulated length of lipopolysaccharide in mice. Gut Microbes 2024; 16:2424983. [PMID: 39529227 PMCID: PMC11559367 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2424983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 10/24/2024] [Accepted: 10/29/2024] [Indexed: 11/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica (NTS) is a major global foodborne pathogen that poses a major public health concern worldwide, and no vaccines are available for protecting against infection of multiple Salmonella serotypes, therefore, the development of Salmonella vaccines to provide broad protection is valuable. In this work, we aimed to regulate lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis of live Salmonella in vivo for exposing conserved protein antigens on the outer membrane while maintaining smooth LPS patterns in vitro to keep their original ability to invade host cells for inducing cross-protection against infection of multiple Salmonella serotypes. We generated a series of mutants defective in genes to affect the length of LPS. These mutants exhibit in vivo regulated-delayed attenuation and altered length of LPS, and all these mutants were derived from SW067 (ΔpagL7 ΔpagP81::Plpp lpxE ΔlpxR9 Δfur9) containing ∆pagP81::Plpp lpxE mutation to reduce their endotoxic activity. Animal experiments demonstrated that all regulated delayed attenuated mutants exhibited reduced ability to colonize the organs of the mice, and SW114 (waaI), SW116 (waaJ), SW118 (waaL), and SW120 (wbaP) induced a significant production of IgG and IgA against OMPs isolated from S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, and S. Choleraesuis. SW114 (waaI), SW116 (waaJ), and SW118 (waaL) were capable of conferring significant protection against infection of wild-type S. Enteritidis and S. Choleraesuis, with SW118 (waaL) triggering significant CD4+ T-cell responses as well as the B220low IgG+ BM cell. In conclusion, regulated delayed attenuated Salmonella vaccines with the whole core oligosaccharides of LPS showed a goo.d ability to expose conserved outer antigens and to trigger strong cross-immune responses against both homologous and heterologous Salmonella infections. These results give new insight into the development of the Salmonella vaccine against multiple serotypes of Salmonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Bian
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
- Yibin Academy of Southwest University, Yibin, Sichuan, China
| | - Qing Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
- Yibin Academy of Southwest University, Yibin, Sichuan, China
| | - Yaolin Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenjin Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Mengru Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaofen Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Liu Yang
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Rongchang, Chongqing, China
| | - Yonghong Liao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Qingke Kong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
- Yibin Academy of Southwest University, Yibin, Sichuan, China
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Pérez Jorge G, Gontijo MTP, Brocchi M. Salmonella enterica and outer membrane vesicles are current and future options for cancer treatment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1293351. [PMID: 38116133 PMCID: PMC10728604 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1293351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Conventional cancer therapies have many limitations. In the last decade, it has been suggested that bacteria-mediated immunotherapy may circumvent the restrictions of traditional treatments. For example, Salmonella enterica is the most promising bacteria for treating cancer due to its intrinsic abilities, such as killing tumor cells, targeting, penetrating, and proliferating into the tumor. S. enterica has been genetically modified to ensure safety and increase its intrinsic antitumor efficacy. This bacterium has been used as a vector for delivering anticancer agents and as a combination therapy with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or photothermic. Recent studies have reported the antitumor efficacy of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from S. enterica. OMVs are considered safer than attenuated bacteria and can stimulate the immune system as they comprise most of the immunogens found on the surface of their parent bacteria. Furthermore, OMVs can also be used as nanocarriers for antitumor agents. This review describes the advances in S. enterica as immunotherapy against cancer and the mechanisms by which Salmonella fights cancer. We also highlight the use of OMVs as immunotherapy and nanocarriers of anticancer agents. OMVs derived from S. enterica are innovative and promising strategies requiring further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genesy Pérez Jorge
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Laboratório de Doenças Tropicais, Instituto de Biologia, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Marco Túlio Pardini Gontijo
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Marcelo Brocchi
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Laboratório de Doenças Tropicais, Instituto de Biologia, Campinas, Brazil
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Raman V, Deshpande CP, Khanduja S, Howell LM, Van Dessel N, Forbes NS. Build-a-bug workshop: Using microbial-host interactions and synthetic biology tools to create cancer therapies. Cell Host Microbe 2023; 31:1574-1592. [PMID: 37827116 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Many systemically administered cancer therapies exhibit dose-limiting toxicities that reduce their effectiveness. To increase efficacy, bacterial delivery platforms have been developed that improve safety and prolong treatment. Bacteria are a unique class of therapy that selectively colonizes most solid tumors. As delivery vehicles, bacteria have been genetically modified to express a range of therapies that match multiple cancer indications. In this review, we describe a modular "build-a-bug" method that focuses on five design characteristics: bacterial strain (chassis), therapeutic compound, delivery method, immune-modulating features, and genetic control circuits. We emphasize how fundamental research into gut microbe pathogenesis has created safe bacterial therapies, some of which have entered clinical trials. The genomes of gut microbes are fertile grounds for discovery of components to improve delivery and modulate host immune responses. Future work coupling these delivery vehicles with insights from gut microbes could lead to the next generation of microbial cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu Raman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA; Ernest Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Hadley, MA, USA
| | - Chinmay P Deshpande
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Shradha Khanduja
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Lars M Howell
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | | | - Neil S Forbes
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA; Molecular and Cell Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA; Institute for Applied Life Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
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